# Installation **URL:** https://discuss.write.as/c/writefreely/installation/16.md [Latest](https://discuss.write.as/latest.md) · [Categories](https://discuss.write.as/categories.md) · [Tags](https://discuss.write.as/tags.md) --- ## [About the Installation category](https://discuss.write.as/t/about-the-installation-category/121)
**Author:** [@matt](https://discuss.write.as/u/matt)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [November 5, 2018, 3:46am UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/about-the-installation-category/121 "2018-11-05T03:46:53Z")
Get help installing WriteFreely on your own server. This is the place to ask any questions you have about self-hosting a WriteFreely instance. By posting here, you directly help our small team spend less time answering … --- ## [WriteFree Linux Appliance](https://discuss.write.as/t/writefree-linux-appliance/20807)
**Author:** [@Anthony-kldload](https://discuss.write.as/u/Anthony-kldload)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [August 11, 2026, 12:55am UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/writefree-linux-appliance/20807 "2026-08-11T00:55:07Z")
I thought it would be fun to build a WriteFree Appliance.. So I made two. option 1 (server) simply burn the .iso to a USB, copy/boot and connect. option 2 (desktop) click, boot, and write. If your interested please ha… --- ## [Benefits of "MySQL-backed installs"?](https://discuss.write.as/t/benefits-of-mysql-backed-installs/19733)
**Author:** [@bouncinglime](https://discuss.write.as/u/bouncinglime)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [December 31, 2025, 5:34pm UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/benefits-of-mysql-backed-installs/19733 "2025-12-31T17:34:30Z")
I’m looking at installing WriteFreely, and am curious about what the benefits are of a “MySQL-backed install”. That aspect of WF is mentioned only on the install page, and I’m not seeing anything about it here other than… --- ## [Login does not work](https://discuss.write.as/t/login-does-not-work/20047)
**Author:** [@gmkeros](https://discuss.write.as/u/gmkeros)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [December 2, 2025, 1:11am UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/login-does-not-work/20047 "2025-12-02T01:11:51Z")
I set up writefreely, have it running on my domain and on port 9393 and I get to the empty page. When I try to login it accepts my credentials but stays on the same page (using wrong credentials gives the expected “wrong… --- ## [Running WriteFreely at a shared web hosting plan](https://discuss.write.as/t/running-writefreely-at-a-shared-web-hosting-plan/19496)
**Author:** [@Hermine](https://discuss.write.as/u/Hermine)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [September 11, 2025, 7:47pm UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/running-writefreely-at-a-shared-web-hosting-plan/19496 "2025-09-11T19:47:34Z")
Hello, I’m on a shared hosting plan with OVH, which offers SSH access and an SQL database. I am not a root user. I installed WriteFreely 0.16.0 at the subdomain folder blog, with the following configuration: root -… --- ## [Localhost site cannot be reached. ERR\_CONNECTION\_REFUSED](https://discuss.write.as/t/localhost-site-cannot-be-reached-err-connection-refused/1577)
**Author:** [@Dami](https://discuss.write.as/u/Dami)\ **Replies:** 12\ **Last updated:** [December 5, 2023, 7:23pm UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/localhost-site-cannot-be-reached-err-connection-refused/1577 "2023-12-05T19:23:45Z")
Hello. After running the write freely executable, I get this: 2020/07/03 08:21:34 Starting WriteFreely 0.12.0... 2020/07/03 08:21:34 Loading config.ini configuration... 2020/07/03 08:21:34 Loading templates... 2020/07/0… --- ## [MySQL and UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/mysql-and-utc/876)
**Author:** [@m4rk](https://discuss.write.as/u/m4rk)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [October 19, 2024, 1:56am UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/mysql-and-utc/876 "2024-10-19T01:56:27Z")
I’m about to install write.freely on my server but have one question before I start. In the official install guide, it mentions that if I use MySQL then the database timezone needs to be UTC. Is this essential? What happ… --- ## [Admin type account and moderation](https://discuss.write.as/t/admin-type-account-and-moderation/13934)
**Author:** [@dalu](https://discuss.write.as/u/dalu)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [October 11, 2024, 6:35pm UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/admin-type-account-and-moderation/13934 "2024-10-11T18:35:01Z")
I have set up writefreely as a multi-user instance. I have created an account and blog. How do I become admin? How do I moderate other users? --- ## [Tutorial for Writefreely](https://discuss.write.as/t/tutorial-for-writefreely/12685)
**Author:** [@Crow](https://discuss.write.as/u/Crow)\ **Replies:** 10\ **Last updated:** [August 26, 2024, 7:22pm UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/tutorial-for-writefreely/12685 "2024-08-26T19:22:23Z")
I have put together a tutorial to install Writefreely that most anyone can follow and have success with installation. I have installed several using my own tutorial so I know it works and works well. The tutorial is HER… --- ## [Cannot start docker instance of writefreely](https://discuss.write.as/t/cannot-start-docker-instance-of-writefreely/10372)
**Author:** [@meyou69](https://discuss.write.as/u/meyou69)\ **Replies:** 5\ **Last updated:** [August 18, 2024, 11:00am UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/cannot-start-docker-instance-of-writefreely/10372 "2024-08-18T11:00:09Z")
Hello, I know that writefreely does not have an official docker instance, but I chose to still try to run it from docker, because it simplifies my setup significantly. I chose to use the algernon-writefreely:latest doc… --- ## [Can't create ./config.ini: Permission denied](https://discuss.write.as/t/cant-create-config-ini-permission-denied/12205)
**Author:** [@PWD](https://discuss.write.as/u/PWD)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [July 17, 2024, 11:07pm UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/cant-create-config-ini-permission-denied/12205 "2024-07-17T23:07:53Z")
I’m trying to get this running via Docker and keep getting this error in the logs. Anyone know how to move past this? --- ## [Ignore some url paths (fall back to host webserver)](https://discuss.write.as/t/ignore-some-url-paths-fall-back-to-host-webserver/11702)
**Author:** [@maphew](https://discuss.write.as/u/maphew)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [April 12, 2024, 11:23pm UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/ignore-some-url-paths-fall-back-to-host-webserver/11702 "2024-04-12T23:23:17Z")
How do I instruct Writefreely to not handle certain url patterns, and allow those to fall back to the host web server? For example WF should ignore example.org/static/ and allow the .html and other files in the dir tree… --- ## [Posting images in WriteFreely](https://discuss.write.as/t/posting-images-in-writefreely/10010)
**Author:** [@mandercorn](https://discuss.write.as/u/mandercorn)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [January 19, 2024, 9:17pm UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/posting-images-in-writefreely/10010 "2024-01-19T21:17:13Z")
Hi all, I’m coming over from Wordpress.org which I had been using for decades – it was becoming bloatware for me, and WriteFreely seems great as a Federated writing tool. I am not very technical, but I followed directio… --- ## [Help to an amateur to install on subdomain](https://discuss.write.as/t/help-to-an-amateur-to-install-on-subdomain/9369)
**Author:** [@ircwebnet](https://discuss.write.as/u/ircwebnet)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [July 9, 2023, 6:15pm UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/help-to-an-amateur-to-install-on-subdomain/9369 "2023-07-09T18:15:32Z")
Hello friends. I’m not an expert and I would like to install this wonderful software on vps ubuntu 20 that allows me to host many free blogs for users. The problem is that I don’t know how to do it. I need a step by st… --- ## [Segfault when running on VPS](https://discuss.write.as/t/segfault-when-running-on-vps/7844)
**Author:** [@joatca](https://discuss.write.as/u/joatca)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [April 25, 2023, 6:50am UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/segfault-when-running-on-vps/7844 "2023-04-25T06:50:00Z")
I can run the official release binary on Arch Linux on my laptop, no problems. When I run on either of my two Arch KVM VPSes (on different providers in different countries) “config start” and “keys generate” work fine bu… --- ## ['Slightly' Less simple install How To](https://discuss.write.as/t/slightly-less-simple-install-how-to/303)
**Author:** [@lhl](https://discuss.write.as/u/lhl)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [April 10, 2023, 8:17pm UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/slightly-less-simple-install-how-to/303 "2023-04-10T20:17:51Z")
Install WriteFreely v.0.7.1 - Ubuntu 18.04, Nginx, SQLite - based on an AWS EC2 instance. Disclaimer: Getting WriteFreely up and running on a VPS for the person on the street - in other words ‘for the layperson’. I am ve… --- ## [Serve blog on different federate address](https://discuss.write.as/t/serve-blog-on-different-federate-address/8305)
**Author:** [@esmailelbob](https://discuss.write.as/u/esmailelbob)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [March 25, 2023, 7:53pm UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/serve-blog-on-different-federate-address/8305 "2023-03-25T19:53:09Z")
Hi, I serve my blog over blog.example.com. I enabled federation now when someone wants to follow me they would write john@blog.example.com but I want it to be john@example.com only. So can I do that?? --- ## [Docker for production?](https://discuss.write.as/t/docker-for-production/2245)
**Author:** [@DearRude](https://discuss.write.as/u/DearRude)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [March 20, 2023, 11:56am UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/docker-for-production/2245 "2023-03-20T11:56:07Z")
In the admin doc I saw docker is used for development. Can the docker-compose file in the repo be used for production anytime soon? --- ## [New instance. No CSS nor images](https://discuss.write.as/t/new-instance-no-css-nor-images/8468)
**Author:** [@aitor](https://discuss.write.as/u/aitor)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [March 12, 2023, 12:47pm UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/new-instance-no-css-nor-images/8468 "2023-03-12T12:47:07Z")
Hello. I’ve installed an instance of writefreely by following this tutorial, with no apparent errors during the process: The instance is accessible, but it seems as if it can’t read the css file and images. It can be … --- ## [How to apply config.ini](https://discuss.write.as/t/how-to-apply-config-ini/8477)
**Author:** [@aitor](https://discuss.write.as/u/aitor)\ **Replies:** 1\ **Last updated:** [March 12, 2023, 11:40am UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/how-to-apply-config-ini/8477 "2023-03-12T11:40:00Z")
Hi, I am taking the first steps with my instance of writefreely. I want to ask how the new setting is applied. I have modified the config.ini to have more blogs: max\_blogs = 5 Then I have restarted the writefreely serv… --- ## [Fly.io](https://discuss.write.as/t/fly-io/8435)
**Author:** [@fbaube](https://discuss.write.as/u/fbaube)\ **Replies:** 0\ **Last updated:** [March 6, 2023, 9:30pm UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/fly-io/8435 "2023-03-06T21:30:23Z")
Has anyone tried installing (without using Docker) to the free tier at fly.io ? Any tips or how-to ? cheers --- ## [Moving to WriteFreely, images question](https://discuss.write.as/t/moving-to-writefreely-images-question/7877)
**Author:** [@thaneblack](https://discuss.write.as/u/thaneblack)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [March 6, 2023, 6:17pm UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/moving-to-writefreely-images-question/7877 "2023-03-06T18:17:18Z")
For this type of blog, I am used to using snap.as for uploading images, but I am moving to my own VPS, on the blog itself does it allow for ease of uploading images to each post in a similar way? --- ## [Page is missing error](https://discuss.write.as/t/page-is-missing-error/7881)
**Author:** [@Doug](https://discuss.write.as/u/Doug)\ **Replies:** 7\ **Last updated:** [February 21, 2023, 3:56pm UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/page-is-missing-error/7881 "2023-02-21T15:56:08Z")
I have a new install on a VPS that gives the error “This page is missing. Are you sure it was ever here?” I can log in, which then leads to a writing page. When I hit publish get the error. See screenshot for log. T… --- ## [Nginx reverse proxy install: 403's for static resources](https://discuss.write.as/t/nginx-reverse-proxy-install-403s-for-static-resources/7731)
**Author:** [@boriskourt](https://discuss.write.as/u/boriskourt)\ **Replies:** 8\ **Last updated:** [January 31, 2023, 12:57am UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/nginx-reverse-proxy-install-403s-for-static-resources/7731 "2023-01-31T00:57:03Z")
The overall setup has been smooth. I am just experiencing 403 errors from what appears to be the static resources directory. This is the static conf in Nginx. (https is also set-up) location ~ ^/(css|img|js|fonts)/ { … --- ## [Install WriteFreely with Apache and MySQL](https://discuss.write.as/t/install-writefreely-with-apache-and-mysql/665)
**Author:** [@kingprawn22](https://discuss.write.as/u/kingprawn22)\ **Replies:** 11\ **Last updated:** [November 28, 2022, 8:41pm UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/install-writefreely-with-apache-and-mysql/665 "2022-11-28T20:41:56Z")
Hi all, After stumbling across WriteFreely quite recently, I was eager to give it a go. I spun up a VM and went about installing it, using Apache as the web server (I’m more familiar with this than Nginx) and MySQL as t… --- ## [Unable to follow from mastodon (Apache/reverse proxy)](https://discuss.write.as/t/unable-to-follow-from-mastodon-apache-reverse-proxy/7347)
**Author:** [@liedra](https://discuss.write.as/u/liedra)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [November 28, 2022, 8:22pm UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/unable-to-follow-from-mastodon-apache-reverse-proxy/7347 "2022-11-28T20:22:12Z")
Hi there, I saw that supposedly this bug was fixed in the latest release but I can’t seem to work it out. Requests to follow are “pending” from Mastodon. I’m using 0.13.2 with Apache and followed the config thread post… --- ## [Multi tenant blog on siteground](https://discuss.write.as/t/multi-tenant-blog-on-siteground/7261)
**Author:** [@urbanspaceman](https://discuss.write.as/u/urbanspaceman)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [November 18, 2022, 6:49pm UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/multi-tenant-blog-on-siteground/7261 "2022-11-18T18:49:34Z")
Hi, is it possible to install writefreely on siteground? there is a guide somewhere? I would open a multi-user blog, with some free and some paid option like write.as is it possible or I need a dedicated host? Thanks … --- ## [Problems with Federation-URL and other URLS](https://discuss.write.as/t/problems-with-federation-url-and-other-urls/7164)
**Author:** [@regenpfeifer](https://discuss.write.as/u/regenpfeifer)\ **Replies:** 4\ **Last updated:** [November 8, 2022, 10:38am UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/problems-with-federation-url-and-other-urls/7164 "2022-11-08T10:38:15Z")
Hello, I have installed Writefreely on my own server with Debian 10, Apache, MySQL and PHP8.1. Everything seems to work fine, but unfortunately, I have problems with federation. Although I have configured writefreely t… --- ## [Hosting Writefreely](https://discuss.write.as/t/hosting-writefreely/6506)
**Author:** [@Bertmen](https://discuss.write.as/u/Bertmen)\ **Replies:** 2\ **Last updated:** [August 14, 2022, 12:11am UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/hosting-writefreely/6506 "2022-08-14T00:11:48Z")
I just setup Writefreely on my laptop I’ve done some webdev recently and got used to creating a folder under /var/www/html and expecting to be able to navigate to that page. Following the install it’s just a binary tho… --- ## [Running WriteFreely on a VPS](https://discuss.write.as/t/running-writefreely-on-a-vps/5451)
**Author:** [@ramnik](https://discuss.write.as/u/ramnik)\ **Replies:** 3\ **Last updated:** [May 24, 2022, 9:52pm UTC](https://discuss.write.as/t/running-writefreely-on-a-vps/5451 "2022-05-24T21:52:18Z")
Hello Matt, I’m not able to run writefreely on my VPS. This is what I’m getting…. [Next page](https://discuss.write.as/c/writefreely/installation/16.md?page=1)